Morning vs. Late Afternoon Coffee – The Difference in Impact on Your Body

“We want to do a lot of stuff; we’re not in great shape. We didn’t get a good night’s sleep. We’re a little depressed. Coffee solves all these problems in one delightful little cup.” Jerry Seinfeld

Most people drink coffee so they can feel energized during the day. Beside this, it becomes a luxury good, a one’s habit and an opportunity to meet people, too.

Coffee is the second most traded commodity on the earth, behind the oil. It has high amounts of nutrients and antioxidants, so the studies linked it with the beverage to lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. The caffeine in coffee can improve our mood and brain functions, too.

Overconsumption, though, can lead to tolerance, lowering the quality of our sleep, headaches, and irritation. We can often hear about how not to drink coffee too late and how it is preventing a good sleep. But, how late is too late for coffee consumers? How will that affect our bodies?

Morning Coffee

For many of us, coffee represents the rocket fuel which gets us going first thing in the morning, before even opening our eyes. But experts say that we should wait at least until 9:30 AM – because that is the time when coffee is most effective.

Human’s basic rhythms are programmed genetically, and although we can mess with our cycles through our everyday habits, the major factor in their regulation is actually sunlight. One of the things is the release of the hormone which is called cortisol. This hormone makes us feel awake and controls our body clock.

Cortisol has his release times: 8-9 AM, 12-1 PM and 5:30-6:30 PM, and it is the best to drink coffee when cortisol levels drop and that is between its release times during the day.

Neuroscientists actually say that the best time for morning coffee is between 9:30 and 11:30 AM. They also say that people who drink coffee when their cortisol levels are high, develop a tolerance to caffeine, which means it becomes less effective for them.

If you are drinking coffee before breakfast, you should also reconsider it, since it can increase your stomach acid, bloating and even vomiting. Try to drink at least a cup of water before it.

Afternoon Coffee

Some people have a habit to reach for a cup of coffee during an afternoon sleep fight. However, experts are against this and they recommend it to be little after lunch. The strongest reason is, of course, disturbing a good sleep.

Researchers proved that people who took caffeine six hours before bed lost more than an hour of sleep compared to ones who took the placebo coffee.

Scientists agree that you should have a coffee cup in the morning, instead of later in the day. It will give you that vital energy boost when consumed in the morning. If you decide to drink it in the afternoon, pay attention to next things:

Drink smaller amounts of coffee during the day, so that you don’t inject high doses of caffeine. It will create an illusion that you actually drink more of it.

Limit your coffee to a maximum of 4 cups per day. Too much caffeine can increase anxiety and irritability. If you have the urge to drink more, choose the one without caffeine.

If you are missing the energy, try to examine your nutrition habits instead of drinking too much coffee.

Don’t drink your late afternoon coffee at least 3 to 5 hours before bedtime, so you can assure a quality sleep.

People love drinking coffee. Its smell, aroma and the rising steam make it a very comforting and enjoyable drink. It ingrained itself into our lives and daily routines, that we just can’t resist. There is even something romantic in holding a freshly bought cup close to you. And not to mention coffee-drinking rituals: pouring and sipping it, and enjoyable mood that can be felt in the air.

So if you want to enjoy your coffee the best, drink it in the early afternoon, so that you don’t interrupt your sleep cycle. If you still have a wish to drink it, think about it as a tomorrow’s plan. It might be easier to you if you know that is waiting for you on your next day’s schedule.

Rudy Caretti has more than 15 years of experience in the coffee industry, a passion that started in Italy within the family business and brought him to found Gimoka Coffee UK and G Coffee Pod with a group of friends, who share the same passion.
Since he roasted his first batch of coffee seeds as a teenager, he was fascinated by the many ways it can be processed to get the many different distinctive flavors we all love.

As a coffee connoisseur, Rudy has always been aware of the vital role played by coffee in most people’s social life and he is especially active through the company’s social media and blog. He loves sharing his knowledge with readers around the world, writing and posting articles that range from the coffee brewing techniques to raising awareness of the importance of responsible production to help protect the rights of farmers and protect the environment.

Evona is a passionate foodie, entrepreneur and the founder of Undiscovered Kitchen, a digital farmer’s market for small batch, specialty foods! She loves discovering new foods from around the country and talking to the artisans who make them.